Cut the crap

[leoc]

Ok guys, another season has come and gone but how do we rate the season?
I'll call it a failure. We finished worse than last year, we looked ordinary for long periods of the season (including our 9 match run), we've lost some players for next year and you'd have to wonder how bad some of the guys actually want to win.
We finished last year thinking that we would improve into 2011 and win the comp. Don't have the same feeling at the end of this season.
Maybe our style of play has also become stale and our pack easier to handle. Maybe the coach is out of ideas. Maybe the play makers are under too much pressure to keep coming up with the big plays so we can win games. I don't have the answers.
I'll certainly be at the games again next year but the window of opportunity may have been firmly slammed shut!!!

 

[AceAv]

As long as you have Marshal, Sheens, Farrah -The window would never slam shut.

Easy to call the season a "failure" -But let's not rule out; you finished top 4 and went 1:1 in the finals, you guys hit sincilating form at the right end. You're one of the most feared teams in the league, you knocked off some very tough teams (St George, Manly) and have gotten even more slick and expansive with your game. But I think mentally is where you guys are a little dusty. I always spotted those 25 or so minutes where you would drop off on intensity and it just happened at the wrong end of the game last night.

TBH if you don't get that week off in the finals tho; the teams who come back from holidays usually just pick off the scraps once they've done fighting eachother and move onto the GF comfortably.

You'll bounce back next year and if you aim to stay in the top 4, that win streak you always seem to find could push you to 1st or 2d place

 

[macnaz]

Id like to see the inclusion of a real fullback,a real halfback and maybe a fast winger.

 

[Tiger05]

It was a great season and anyone knocking it is being pretty harsh. Our pack has looked good all year and we had a pretty bad injury toll at one point yet we still came good.

Benji must be close to the best player in the game. Robbie was average throughout the season however he appeared to be getting his mojo back at the back-end of the season.

We need a fullback next year - losing Moltzen may be a huge mistake as he has more ability that most players in the game and he was making an impact from fullback by the end of the season.

I think if Lui gets his defence in order he will be a gun.

We could go well next season if the big guns step up (Benji, Robbie, Blair, Lawrence & Ellis), Lui gets his defence working and we find a fullback.

 

[innsaneink]

I dont know if weve improved.
What annoys me is Sheens cannot or will not get the players to play percentage footy when needed.
We did against saints in Rd 22...following weeks saw us kicking on tackle 1 & 2, forcing passes when not on...trying to score off every play....Sheens cannot get them to work for & earn a try or more importantly - create and sustain pressure- when its needed.

Not many teams go top 4 three seasons running

 

[dumpy]

We expected more seeing no players involved in state of origin campaign. Fulton had great season considering they were trying to shaft him (Jack Gibson did not like players on long contracts). Paid penalty for shirt grabbers in forwards, too much sideways running and too many shimmies before line. 400K Lottie more interested in self preservation now - use by date up! Questionable selection of players by coach Sheens e.g. Brown (must have eaten coach Sheens ice cream) could not get look in, even putting Utai (winger only) in centres (holds record for number of air tackles now). Require more impact from a fullback (must have heart) and harder returning of football. Game against Warriors, Tigers should have had game well and truly wrapped up. Gibbs ankle problem, Benji on one leg and poor kicking options in 2nd half invited Warriors who just wanted to win more back into game. It was certainly one that got away even allowing for flukey last try.

 

[Tigers Tale]

I have been following the Tigers (now West Tigers) for 50 years and other than the late 80's can not really remember when we had forwards who dominated other teams. Other teams may be fearful of playing the Tigers but it is only for one reason, we MIGHT turn up and play some razzle dazzle footy and that is what can hurt other teams. We never punish other teams through physical force, our forwards never own other packs, we just rely on some freakish talent from Marshall and Farah.

I guess the question I pose to all other supporters (tipsters) is, when we come up against teams like the Storm, Manly or Broncos are you really confident picking the Tigers or do you just hope we are going to turn up and play?

I remember a few seasons back (I think it was Penrith) had a pretty ordinary team who made the semis because they seem to be consistently playing the team who had played the Warriors the week before. The Warriors pack would smash the other team.

I am not saying we need to do that every game but we never seem to play percentage football. I think a previous post mentions that. We might at the end of each year get the 'gong' for the most long range tries, this is achieved playing risky football and not playing for position and getting to kicks. Sure it looks good but I'd rather score from 5 metres out 90% of the time than score from 90 metres out 5% of the time.

On the whole the club will probably view this as a successful season, I don't think I do, I think had we got past the Warriors we had a better than good chance against the Storm. Anyway, it is history now.....

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I have been following the Tigers (now West Tigers) for 50 years and other than the late 80's can not really remember when we had forwards who dominated other teams. Other teams may be fearful of playing the Tigers but it is only for one reason, we MIGHT turn up and play some razzle dazzle footy and that is what can hurt other teams. We never punish other teams through physical force, our forwards never own other packs, we just rely on some freakish talent from Marshall and Farah.

I guess the question I pose to all other supporters (tipsters) is, when we come up against teams like the Storm, Manly or Broncos are you really confident picking the Tigers or do you just hope we are going to turn up and play?

I remember a few seasons back (I think it was Penrith) had a pretty ordinary team who made the semis because they seem to be consistently playing the team who had played the Warriors the week before. The Warriors pack would smash the other team.

I am not saying we need to do that every game but we never seem to play percentage football. I think a previous post mentions that. We might at the end of each year get the 'gong' for the most long range tries, this is achieved playing risky football and not playing for position and getting to kicks. Sure it looks good but I'd rather score from 5 metres out 90% of the time than score from 90 metres out 5% of the time.

On the whole the club will probably view this as a successful season, I don't think I do, I think had we got past the Warriors we had a better than good chance against the Storm. Anyway, it is history now.....

I've said it before and will continue to say it over and over again: Keith Galloway is our only prop who CONSISTENTLY dents the line in attack. He is hard to tackle and always makes an impact. The only other forward we have that does the same consistently is Ellis.

Woods played well the other night and will continue to improve, so he is another that MAY support KG, but he is still raw at this stage. Groat is only a baby and it will be a while before he will develop.

I know Fulton had a blinder in the finals series, but the likes of he and Heighington are the reason our forwards are constantly dominated by bigger teams. Yes they give their all, yes they try hard, yes they punch above their weight, but they do not make an impact with ball in hand, it is that simple.

Blair will help next season, but whether it will be enough I am not sure.

 

[Ron's_Mate]

A couple of months back I thought we wouldn't make the final 8, so I'm happy enough with how the season ended. Lawrence & Lote out for most of the season was a big factor. Also losing Simon Dwyer who was shaping up to be a damaging second rower. Plus the slump due to players being moved on. There is a lot of disruption there. I'm pretty confident we are well set for next year. Look stronger in the forwards & perhaps Joel Reddy will fill the fullback role. The main thing we need is more consistency - look at the top sides like Broncos & Storm & they keep turning up every week & playing with discipline.

 

[TrigaTheTiger]

I would saw we performed to expectations - not above or below.

If we have a team that makes the finals on a regular basis - I will be happy.

Other teams can do it - we should be aiming to be "thereabouts" in the top half of the top four every year.

Cant expect much more than that.

 

[Kid]

Successful season for mine. Devastated it's over, but the club had a huge injury toll and missed 2 strike weapons ( Lawrence and Lote) for much of the year. Ellis and Farah playing injured for a lot of the year and Dwyer out for the season, i think it showed how much depth we had especially to make the top 4 again, the only side from 2010 to do so. Can we do better next year? Well thats the million dollar question. You would think our injury toll couldn't be any worse. Imo it's going to rely heavily on how good Groat and Woods can back up this seasons form.

 

[BuffaloRules]

I still maintain the 2005 team is better then the 2011 version( a lot of people here didnt agree a couple of weeks ago..)

Might not have had as much talent 1 through 17, but they certainly knew how to put 80 minute performances together in big games...

I agree that ten weeks ago when they had those back to back losses against Parra and the Dogs, they looked gone and perhaps we can take some comfort from the fact that they knuckled down and made the 8....

I would love to see them play with that hunger from the middle of March though....

 

[Magpies Forever]

I’m happy to give the WT a pass mark. They got into the finals series and seemed to get their act together in that run into the finals despite a potentially crippling injury toll that luckily began improving at the right time of the season. The team and coaching staff deserve credit on a good effort. Lui, despite a poor early season, came good at the end but his consistency has to improve a hell of a lot to take the pressure off his continued selection IMHO.

On the adverse side if things, despite the pass mark, I don’t think it’s a good pass mark. With their talent and skills they should not be so up and down in form and the inconsistency has continued to cause WT problems for so many seasons now. The core team members have remained in place now for several seasons and this should not be a problem anymore but it still is. Our player depth is being tested for 2012 with loosing valued team members through both retirement and salary cap pressure brought on by the good 2010 season. With another good 2011 season now behind us I hope that WT are not forced to shed more players in 2012-13 to fit into the cap.

Congrats to Sheens in steering the boys there but I remain mind boggled by his use of the interchange bench and selection of players for the bench. 2012 will certainly bring forth a new era with turnover in both playing ranks and coaching staff. GO WESTS TIGERS!!!!

 

[MARSHALL ZHUKOV]

The slide down the ladder will continue in 2012 and beyond- too many old legs young heads and too much selfish play. old farrah's grubber when you had the numbers on the right an example of selfish play- it was obvious you were going to lose near half time with time for a few tackles and a bomb your trying to kick field goals then after half time you go for goal instead a set of six at the line and a grubber and repeat set if you dont score. as Big Jack Gibson said to Sterling "kick it to the sea gulls" warriors were making 60 to 70 metres in their set of six in second half you were struggling to get out of your half it was obvious what had to be done - kick the ball deep even if it went touch in goal.

You wont get a better chance for a premiership like this year for many years im afraid

 

[madunit]

A genuine fullback, like Beale, would make a massive improvement to our side.

 

[The Rosco]

Id like to see the inclusion of a real fullback,a real halfback and maybe a fast winger.

Mac, I might be looking through my optimistic glasses . . . but I think that Grant is going to be a revelation on the wing.
Well, I'm hoping so . . . . .

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I think Koriobete (sp?) will play FG before Grant does.

 

[super_coach]

They cam e fourth without putting a 80 minute effort in for the whole season. Hate to think what they might do if they get their act together for 80 minutes.

Like others I have some doubt,have we reached the top of the hill and are now sliding down the other side . Every year the teams are getting closer in ability due to the salary cap, so every year its getting harder to win. I think 2012 might be our last real chance with this crop of players

 

[simmo1]

Every year the teams are getting closer in ability due to the salary cap, so every year its getting harder to win.

Disagree. The difference in quality between the top 8 teams and the bottom 8 teams this year was clear as day.

Even last year, there was a large gulf between the best teams and the worst teams (there was probably only 3 teams which had any chance of winning it).

 

[glockers]

It is the first time a Tigers team has made back to back finals series since 1991. Therefore it is hard not to give it a pass mark.

Still I don't think I saw the team play at the intensity required for 80 minutes all year. We never really have our foot on the opposition's neck as a result and rely on Benji magic to get out of jail.

As a result I never really thought we could win the comp, Brisbane and Melbourne (remember the Leichardt game) just seem to be too good football teams for us at the moment. Sure if the game was within two tries with 15 minutes left Benji could pull us out of it, but that is a big risk.

With all that said there is plenty to like. We have alot of potential and room for improvement out of the current top grade players, plus we have some young talent emerging.

Plus in the finals the lack of football by Lote and Lawrence was apparent. They looked very rusty down there side and our attack down there suffered. If they are fit at the right end of the year in 2012 it will be an enormous boost.